Sam Walton

The anti-Walmart protests today organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers union are the clearest evidence yet that the company's campaign of appeasement of left-wing activist groups is failing. Indeed, it appears the policy has invited more defamation and harassment. We told you so.

NLPC documented the emergence of this policy in a Special Report titled Wal-Mart Embraces Controversial Causes: Bid to Appease Liberal Interest Groups Will Likely Fail, Hurt Business. Written by John Carlisle, it was published in 2006 and updated in 2008. Click here to download the 24-page pdf version.

Recently NLPC reported that Walmart’s top “sustainability” adviser, who provided significant help in getting the company’s “Green” credibility with environmentalist groups in gear, was Jib Ellison – a former wilderness expeditionist and river guide, and author of a guide on whitewater rafting. The story of his relationship with Walmart, which began with the introduction of Ellison by Rob Walton (son of founder Sam) to former company CEO Lee Scott, is documented in the new book Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Walmart’s Green Revolution by Edward Humes.

On Friday afternoon, I discussed Wal-Mart's support for ObamaCare and Cap and Trade with guest host Connell McShane on Your World With Neil Cavuto on Fox News Channel. That morning, I spoke in favor of our shareholder proposal asking for a report on Wal-Mart's lobbying priorities at the company's annual meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Here's a transcript of the interview: